Julius Caesar Antony Speech Essay

Lopez, Katarina
Singson, Matthew
Vielmas, Bianca
English 10H, III
October 29,2014

Julius Caesar Antony’s Speech
The great Julius Caesar lies dead, and Marc Antony attempts to turn the crowd against his killers, who previously had won the support of the people. In Act III, scene II of the play Julius Caesar by William
Shakespeare, Marc Antony uses his skills as an orator to manipulate the crowd against the conspirators. Antony first gains the crowd’s trust, then casts doubt on the conspirators’ motives, and finally inspiring them to act against Brutus and the others. By the end of the speech, the people are out for blood.
In this manipulative speech, Antony appeals to the crowd to defend Caesar’s virtue, not to praise him, as he says so himself. Antony begins his speech with a list of three words: “Friends, Romans,
Countrymen.” This is comparable to Brutus’ beginning of “Romans, Countrymen and lovers.” Antony imitated Brutus’ introduction, but rearranged the order and changed “lovers” to “friends.” He attempts to side himself with the people by using the word “Friends” to gain more support. Going before Antony, Brutus had successfully won the support and respect of the crowd. He brainwashed them into thinking he was right, even though he did not have any proof to back him up. Antony begins his speech appearing to side with the conspirators’ actions. By not openly challenging Brutus, he encourages the crowd to listen to him speak. Later in his speech, Antony describes himself as “No orator, as Brutus is;/ But (as you all know me) a plain blunt man/ That love my friend,” in a further bid to gain his audience’s trust. By describing himself as just another Roman, not an orator, Antony’s relationship with the crowd becomes more personal and less manipulative.
Once Antony feels that he has gained some credibility with the crowd, Antony begins to subtly cast doubt on the conspirators’ motives. First he repeatedly refers to Brutus and the conspirators as noble and honorable men. With each repetition, he causes the crowd to question whether the conspirators truly are honorable men. At the same time, Antony proves that Caesar was not ambitious by reminding the crowd that Caesar gave ransom money to the public fund, wept with the poor, and three time refused the crown. He reminds the crowd that they all once had a reason to love Caesar, and demonstrates the claim of his ambition is unfounded. Throughout this part of his speech, Antony repeats the question “Was this ambition,” and reminds the crowd “Brutus says he was ambitious.” He also reminds the crowd “Brutus is an honorable man.” Instead of simply telling the crowd, he leaves it for them to realize that Brutus’ claims were far from the truth, and question how honorable the conspirators really were. To the crowd, the conspirators appear to act less for the good of Rome and more for their own purposes. By the time Antony pauses, the crowd is on his side, one plebeian even fearing that a worse ruler would replace Caesar.
Ironically, Antony appears to attempt to keep the crowd at peace in lines 122-125, and claims that he is simply obeying Cassius and Brutus while secretly working against them. Throughout his speech, he

Lopez, Katarina
Singson, Matthew
Vielmas, Bianca
English 10H, III
October 29,2014 has been stirring the crowds to action. First, he reminds them of their love for Caesar, and implores them to mourn the dead ruler. Later he suggests to the crowd to mutiny against the conspirators to avenge the great Caesar’s death. He arouses the crowd’s sympathy for Caesar in line 182 by comparing Brutus to an angel, well beloved by the ruler. This makes Brutus’ attack appear as a heartless and cruel attack on the benevolent Caesar. Brutus’ betrayal further strengthens the hatred for the conspirators that Antony had sought in showing Caesar’s body. Pointing out each wound, in addition to Brutus’, makes each conspirator personally responsible for their role in Caesar’s death.
This incites an immediate reaction from the crowds; one plebeian calling the conspirators traitors and villains, while another demands revenge. Caesar’s wounds, as Antony explains, cannot tell his side of the story, drawing more support from the crowd. To the people, Caesar was struck down in cold blood, and under false pretenses. The conspirators’ fate was sealed when Antony read Caesar’s will to the crowd. Caesar’s generous bequeathments to the people confirmed that Caesar was a kind, benevolent ruler, and the conspirators have wronged Rome in killing him.
The conspirator’s did wrong in trusting the skilled orator Antony, their actions leading to mutiny among the people instead of order. Antony’s oration proved to be more effective than Brutus’ as he won over the crowd by using methods of rhetoric, persuasion, and sarcasm. Antony achieves the support of the people, having caused them to start riots and wanting to doom the conspirators.
Shakespeare has written an appealing scene where the support and the respect of the people was constantly swinging between the noble Brutus and Antony.